Kerf cutting machine with hydraulically operated drill



8 1956 J. J. SLOMER 2,736,543

KERF CUTTING MACHINE WITH HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED DRILL Filed May 5, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l 54 74 IOO 93 INVENTOR. JOSEPH J. SLOMER ATTOR NEY Feb. 28, 1956 J. J. SLOMER 2,736,543

KERF CUTTING MACHINE WITH HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED DRILL.

Filed May 5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH J. SLOMER ay/4M ATTORNEY United States Patent KERF CUTTING MACHINE WITH HYDRAULI- CALLY OPERATED DRILL Application May 5, 1953, Serial No. 353,138

4 Claims. (Cl. 2629) This invention relates to improvements in fluid pressure systems particularly adapted for kerf cutting machines operable in mines underground and more particularly relates to such systems having a fluid operated drill takeoff.

Kerf cutting machines have heretofore been hydraulically operated and controlled and drills have been driven from the fluid pressure system of the machine or from a separate fluid pressure system separate from the brief cutting machine or on the kerf cutting machine, as in my Patent No. 2,466,972 dated April 12, 1949.

In order to facilitate the mining operation the face may be drilled to receive powder charges for shooting while the kerf cutting machine is cutting across the coal face. This requires relatively long large diameter pressure and return lines from the kerf cutting machine to the drill. The fluid continually circulating through these lines, both when the drill is in and out of operation, becomes excessively hot in a short interval of time, even with large diameter pressure and return lines, considerably reducing the efliciency of the hydraulic system and the drill to the extent that it is not considered economical to operate such drills hydraulically, despite the advantages from a safety standpoint.

The principal objects of my invention are to remedy these difficulties by providing a drill take-off in the hydraulic control and operating system for a hydraulically operated kerf cutting machine in which the circulation of hydraulic fluid is cut off from the supply lines to the drill except when the drill is in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved control, for controlling the operation of a fluid operated drill, operable at a distance from its source of hydraulic power, wherein the control valve for the drill is provided at the source of power and is operated from the drill by the displacement of fluid in a control line separate from the power supply lines for the drill.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and eflicient hydraulic power system and control therefor, operating and controlling operation of a fluid operated drill, operable at a distance from its source of power, including a valve at the source of power biased to block operation of the drill and a control line leading therefrom having a plunger therein operable from the drill, to displace fluid in the control line and operate the valve to supply fluid under pressure to the drill,

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of hydraulic power and control system, supplying fluid under pressure to operate a fluid operated drill at a distance from a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure, including a valve at the source of power, biased to block the supply of fluid under pressure to the drill, a fluid dis placement member on the drill handle, and a control line leading from the fluid displacement member to the valve, for operating the same.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a fluid pressure system for kerf cutting machines, for driving and controlling operation of the feed and retarding ice drums therefon having separate pumps and pressure lines to each feed drum, wherein the line to one of the drums has a drill take-off therein, including a take-off shuttle valve on the machine, and fluid connections from the valve to the drill for operating the same, together with a fluid displacement line separate from the pressure line, for operating the shuttle valve from the drill.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel and eflicient fluid pressure system for kerf cutting machines, for driving the feed and retarding drums therefor, in which separate pumps and return lines are provided to operate each drum, and the motor driving the retarding drum is driven by its drum as a pump at times, to retard rotation thereof in an unwinding direction, and wherein the pressure lines supplying pressure to the retarding drum have a shuttle valve therein forming a drill take-off, and operated from the drill by the displacement of fluid in a control line connected from the drill to the shuttle valve.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings where Figure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating a hydraulic system constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a kerf cutting machine constructed in accordance with my invention, showing a fluid operated drill having fluid connection with the machine, to be operated from the fluid pressure system thereof, with parts of the drill handle broken away to illustrate the displacement control means for the drill.

In the drawings, a kerf cutting machine 10, herein shown as being a room and pillar type of key cutting machine, is shown having a drill 11 connected thereto through pressure and return lines 12 and 13, to be operated from the fluid pressure system for operating the machine, and controlled by the displacement of fluid through a displacement control line 14.

The kerf cutting machine 10 is shown in Figure 2 as including a motor 120 at the forward end of the machine, and a main frame extending rearwardly therefrom. A cutter bar 130 is shown as projecting forwardly from beneath the motor and as having a cutter bit carrying cutter chain 140 guided for orbital movement thereabout. The cutter chain is driven from the motor 120 in a well known manner and no part of my present invention, so not herein shown or described.

A head rope drum 15, having a flexible draft device 16, adapted to be wound thereon and trained therefrom is provided on the left hand side of the main frame 11, to feed the cutter bar and cutter chain into and along a coal face.

A tail rope drum 17, having a flexible draft device 18 trained therefrom, is provided on the opposite side of the main frame 110, to retard movement of the rear end of the machine along the mine bottom and maintain the cutter bar 130 at the desired angle with respect to the coal face.

The motor 120 is diagrammatically shown in Figure 1 as having an armature shaft 19 connected to drive two connected and aligned pumps 20 and 21 through a coupling 22. The pump 21 is shown in Figure 1 as having fluid connection with the manifold of a valve bank '24, for supplying fluid under pressure thereto. The valve bank 24 has connection with two front elevating and tilting jacks 25, 25 and two rear laterally spaced elevating and tilting jacks 26, 26. The manifold 24 is. likewise shown as having fluid connection with a flow control valve 27 through a pressure line 29. A pressure line 30 is shown as being connected from the flow control valve 27 to a fluid motor 33. The fluid motor 33 is shown as having drive connection with the head rope drum 15 through a reduction gear train indicated generally by reference character 35.

The pump affords a source offluid under pressure to drive the tail rope drum 17 by means of a fluid motor 36, and reduction gear train indicated generally by reference character 37. The fluid connection to the fluid motor 36 is herein shown as including a pressure line 39 connected from the pump 29 to a valve chamber 40 of a drill take-off shuttle valve 41. A pressure line 43 is shown as leading from the valve chamber 40, and as being spaced along said valve chamber from the pressure line 39 and connected with a flow control valve 44, like the flow control valve 27. A pressure line 45 having a check valve 46 therein is shown as connecting the flow control valve 44 with the fluid motor 36. The pumps 20 and 21 are shown as having intake lines 49 and 50 respectively, taking fluid directly 'from the interior of the main frame 119, within which said pumps are encased as in application filed by Frank A. Lindgren on October 17, 1952, Serial No. 315,330, owned by the assignee of the present invention. The returns from the fluid motors 33 and 36, valves 27 and 44, manifold 24 and valve 41 are all shown as leading to tank, which may be the interior of the main frame 110.

The valve bank 24 is shown as having a plurality of valves 51, 51 therein which may be operated by operating handles 53, 53, preferably from the rear end of the machine to control the admission and release fluid under pressure to the tilting and elevating jacks 25, 25 and 26, 26.

The flow control valve 27, controlling operation of the motor 33 and head rope drum 15 may be a well known form of flow control valve of the pressure compensated type. The flow control valve 27 is provided to adjust the flow range and vary the volume of fluid under pressure supplied to the motor 33, for driving the same at varying speeds. This valve is also arranged to compensate for variations in pressure, to insure a uniform flow of fluid at any setting of the valve, regardless of pressure variations at the source. The output flow volume of the valve 27 is shown as being adjusted by operation of a control handle 54 which may be located at the rear of the ma chine. A safety relief valve 55 is shown as being connected in the valve 27, to relieve excessive pressures from the pressure line 43 and to return fluid to tank, when said relief valve is open. A safety relief valve 56 is connected on the downstream side of the valve 27, to accommodate cable to be payed off the head rope drum by hand.

The flow control valve 44, controlling operation of the tail rope drum 17, is like the flow control valve 27, and has a safety relief valve 57 connected therein for relieving excessive pressures to tank. The flow control valve 44 is shown as being operated by a control handle 59 at the rear end of the machine, to open orclose said valve and control the volume of fluid supplied to the fluid motor I 36, and thus vary the speed thereof. The flow control valve may also be a pressure compensated control valve. The check valve 46 on the output side of the flow control valve 44 is provided to prevent the back flow of fluid under pressure into the valve 44, when the motor 36 is driven as a pump by its tail rope 18.

A relief line 60 is shown as being connected to the pressure line 45 on the downstream side of the check valve 46, and as having a relief valve 61 connected thereto. The relief valve 61 is shown in Figure 1 as being a well known form of ball type relief valve, having aball 63 seated to close the valve by a spring 64. A return line 65 to tank is shown as leading from the valve chamber of said relief valve. Tension of the spring 64, and the pressure at which the ball 63 is unseated, is shown as being varied by a plunger 66 forming a seat for the oppo site end of the spring 64 from the ball 63, and a threaded rod 67. The threaded rod 67 is threaded in an end closure member 69 for the valve, and has engagement with the outer end of the plunger 66. A handle 70, which may be operated from the rear end of the machine, is provided to turn said rod and vary the tension of the spring 64 and the pressure at which the ball 63 is unseated to accommodate the return of fluid to tank.

During the operation of cutting across a coal face, the head rope drum 15 may be driven by its respective motor 33 to wind the cable 16 thereon. The tail rope drum may be rotated by the paying off of the cable 18 therefrom. The tail rope 18 driving its tail rope drum 17, will drive the motor 36 through the gear train 37 as a pump.

The motor 36 driven as a pump will take fluid from tank through its discharge outlet and pump fluid back into the presure line 45 against the check valve 46. A fluid block in the pressure line 45, and the pump 36 may then occur until relieved by the relief valve 61. This will hold the tail rope drum 17 from rotation, and the pull of the head rope on the forward end of the machine against the retarding action of the tail rope will swing the machine frame and. cutter bar into the desired position with the respect to the coal face. During cutting across the face the compressive force of the spring 64 may be maintained just sufficient to accommodate the drum 17 to pay off cable at the rate it is wound in by the drum 15. The retarding action of the motor 36 and tail rope 18 may be continually varied, however, by operation of the handle 70, varying the pressures at which the relief valve 61 will open to dump fluid back to tank, and thus varying the blocking effect of fluid under pressure to rotation of the motor 36, to maintain the cutter bar in the desired relation with respect to the coal face.

The motor 36 may drive the retarding drum 17 to rewind the cable 18 thereon. It may also drive said drum when it is desired that the cable 18 act as a draft device, particularly in sumping the cutter bar 130 and cutter chain into the coal face. The cable 18 may also be wound on the drum 17 in an opposite direction from which cable is wound on the drum 15. The drum 17 may then be driven by the motor 36 to pay off cable at the same rate cable is wound on the drum 15, to maintain the cutter bar in the desired relation with respect to the coal face. When cable may be payed off of the drum 17 at a greater rate than the speed at which said drum is driven, the motor 36 will be driven as a pump under control by the relief valve 61, which may be varied to maintain the cutter bar 130 generally perpendicular to the coal face in the manner previously mentioned.

Referring now in particular to the drill take-off valve 41 and the control therefore from the drill, the valve 41 is shown as being a spool type of valve having a valve spool 73 movable along the valve chamber 40. The valve spool 73 is shown as having two outer lands 74, 74 and a central inner land 75, and as being biased to the right hand end of the valve chamber '40 by a spring 76. When the valve spool 73 is in its spring biased position, a fluid presure passageway from the pressure line 39 to the pressure line 43 is defined between the land 75 and the left hand land 74. This supplies fluid to operate the motor 36. When the valve spool 73 is biased toward the left hand end of the valve chamber 40 a fluid passageway is defined from the pressure line 39 to a port 77, for supplying fluid under pressure to the pressure line 12 to operate the drill 11.

The valve chamber 40 has a port 78 leading from one end thereof, and connected with tank to return fluid leaking by the left hand land 74 back to tank.

The opposite end of the valve chamber 40 is closed by an end closure member 79. A port 80 leads through said end closure member and is connected with the fluid displacement line 14, affording a means for operating said valve against the bias of the valve spring 76.

- The valve spool is moved against the bias of the spring 76, to admit pressure from the pressure line 39 to the port 77- by the displacement of fluid from the fluid displacement line 14 into the right hand end of the valve chamber. This is attained by operation of a piston or plunger 84 movable within a cylinder 85 at the drill 11. The plunger 84 is shown in Figure 2 as being mounted Within a handle 86 for the drill, and as being operated by a hand lever 87. As shown in Fig. 2 the hand lever 87 is pivoted between two spaced cars 88 on a pivot pin 89, and has an inwardly extending lug 90, engageable with a block 91, guided for slidable movement along the interior of the handle 86. The block 91 is shown as having an operating rod 93 for the plunger or piston 84 threaded thereon. The operating rod 93 slidably extends through an end closure cap 94 for the cylinder 85 and has connection with the piston 84 to move said piston against the bias of a compression spring 95 and displace fluid from the cylinder 85, upon operating of the hand lever 87. The opposite end of the cylinder 85 from the end. closure member 94 has a port 96 leading therefrom connected with a fluid displacement or control line 99. The line 99 is shown as being connected with the displacement line 14, by means of a suitable coupling member 100 which may be a quick detachable coupling of a type commonly used to connect pressure lines together, and seal the same when connected, and is no part of my present invention so is not herein shown or described in detail. A fluid passageway 101 leads through the end closure member 79, from one side thereof, and communicates with the port 80 to provide a means for filling the right hand end of the valve chamber 40, the control or fluid displacement lines 14, and 99 and the left hand end of the cylinder 85 with hydraulic fluid. The passageway 101 is shown as being closed by a threaded plug 103, threaded therein.

When the fluid displacement lines 14 and 99 and cylinder 85 and right hand end of the valve chamber 40 are filled with hydraulic fluid, such as oil, the piston 84 moving against its spring bias will displace fluid into the right hand end of the chamber 40, and move the valve spool 73 against the bias of the spring 76 into position to admit fluid under pressure from the pressure line 39 to the pressure line 12. The pressure line 12 is shown as being connected with a motor 104 for the drill 11 to operate the same, through a pressure line 105 connected to the drill motor 104, and a detachable self sealing coupling 106. The return from the drill motor 104, to the return line 13 is through a return line 107 and a quick detachable connector 109 connected with said return line.

It may be seen from the foregoing that the drill 11 and drill motor 104, may be operated at the will of the operator by merely depressing the hand lever 87 and moving the piston 84 to displace fluid under pressure within the right hand end of the cylinder 40. As soon as the hand is relieved from the hand lever 87, the spring 76 will bias the valve spool 73 into position to block the flow of fluid under pressure to the pressure line 12 and drill motor 104, and stop operation thereof.

It may further be seen that when the drill 11 is not in operation, there is no circulation of fluid through the pressure and return lines 12 and 13 which materially reduces the heating of the oil heretofore present in hydraulic drills operated remote from a source of power and makes it possible to drive the hydraulic drill from the fluid pressure operating system, operating the kerf cutting machine, without impairing the efliciency of operation of the machine.

It may further be seen that while the valve 41 is shown as being separate from the main valve bank 34, that said valve may be part of the valve bank, and that the pressure line 39 may be connected with said valve in the valve bank.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be eifected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as myinvention:

1. In a kerf cutting machine, a main frame, a head rope drum on the advance side of said'main frame having a flexible draft device adapted to be wound thereon, a fluid operated motor for driving said head rope drum, a tail rope drum on the retreating side of said main frame having a flexible draft device wound thereon, a fluid operated motor for driving said tail rope drum, individual fluid pumps for supplying fluid under pressure to said head and tail rope drum drive motors, individual valve means controlling operation of said motors and drums, individual pressure lines from said pumps to said valve means for supplying fluid under pressure thereto and to said motors under the control of said valve means, the improvements comprising a drill take-0E valve connected in one of said pressure lines in series with one of said valve means and biased to supply fluid under pressure thereto, a pressure line leading from said drill take-off valve, a hydraulically operated drillconnected with said pressure line and having a handle and a fluid operated motor for driving the drill, and fluid pressure operated means connected with said take-off valve independently of said pressure line and operated from said drill handle for operating said take-off valve against its spring bias to supply fluid under pressure to said last mentioned pressure line to operate said drill.

2. In a kerf cutting machine, a main frame, a head rope drum on the advance side of said main frame having a flexible draft device adapted to be wound thereon, a fluid operated motor for driving said head rope drum, a tail rope drum on the retreating side of said main frame having a flexible draft device adapted to be wound thereon and payed off therefrom, a fluid motor for driving said tail rope drum, individual fluid pumps for supplying fluid under pressure to said head and tail rope drum drive motors and individual valve means controlling operation of said motors and drums, individual pressure lines from said pumps to said valve means for supplying fluid under pressure thereto, the improvements comprising a drill take-off valve connected in one of said pressure lines in series with one of said valve means and biased to supply fluid under pressure thereto, a pressure line leading from said drill take-off valve, a hydraulically operated drill connected with said pressure line and hav ing a drill handle and a fluid operated motor for driving the drill, and fluid pressure operating means connected with said take-01f valve, separately from said pressure line and operable from said drill handle for moving said valve against its spring bias, to supply fluid under pressure to said drill motor, said fluid pressure operating means comprising a fluid displacement line connected from said drill to said take-off valve, to operate said takeoff valve, a cylinder and plunger contained within said handle and connected with said fluid displacement line, and an operating lever for said plunger pivotally mounted on said handle.

3. In a kerf cutting machine, a main frame, a head rope drum on the advance side of said main frame having a flexible draft device wound thereon, a fluid motor for driving said head rope drum, a tail rope drum on the retreating side of said main frame having a flexible draft device wound thereon, a fluid motor for driving said tail rope drum, individual fluid pumps for supplying fluid under pressure to said head and tail rope drum drive motors, individual pressure lines and control valves connected from said pumps to said fluid motors for controlling operation of said motors and drums, said tail rope drum driving its motor as a pump at times and having a variable pressure relief valve connected in the pressure line therefor for varying the back pressure on the tail rope drum drive motor when driven as a pump, to control the position of the machine with respect to a coal face, and said pressure line to said tail rope drum drive motor having a drill take-off valve therein, operable from the drill to move into position to supply fluid under pressure to the drill to operate the same and biased to block the passage of fluid under pressure to the drill.

4. In a kerf cutting machine, a main frame, a head rope drum on the advance side of said main frame having a flexible draft device wound thereon, a fluid motor for driving said head rope drum, a tail rope drum on the retreating side of said main frame having a flexible draft device Wound thereon, a fluid motor for driving said tail rope drum, individual fluid pumps for supplying fluid under pressure to said head and tail rope drum drive motors, individual pressure lines and control valves connected from said pumps to said fluid motors for controlling operation of said motors and drums, said tail rope drum driving its motor as a pump at times and hav' ing a variable pressure relief valve connected in the pressure line therefor for varying the back pressure on the tail rope drum drive motor When driven as a pump, to control the position of the machine with respect to the coal face, said pressure line to said tail rope drum drive motor having a drill take-off connected therein having a remote fluid operated drill connected thereto, spring means biasing said take-off valve to supply fluid under pressure to said tail rope drum drive motor, and means operated from said drill to operate said take-ofi valve comprising a displacement line connected from said drill to said take-off valve and a cylinder and plunger mounted Within said drill handle and operable to displace fluid along said displacement line to operate said take-off valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,781,133 Shaff Nov. 11, 1930 1,829,655 Huguenin Oct. 27, 1931 1,962,857 Cash June 12, 1934 2,247,140 Twyman June 24, 1941 2,320,874 Lehmann June 1, 1943 2,414,451 Christensen Jan. 21, 1947 2,466,972 Slomer Apr. 12, 1949 2,547,646

Lee Apr. 3, 1951 

